Meet the Trainer
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Christa Smith
Christa Smith is the owner and operator of Cross Creek Horse Training. She oversees the training of each horse personally as head trainer. Christa was born and raised with horses as a daily part of life. Training and riding quickly grew into her passion. She began developing the skills to start training for the public in 2006 at the age of fourteen. Years in the industry cultivated diverse experience in colt starting, hunter/jumpers, race horses, reining, ranch versatility, and mustangs. Her preferred discipline is ranch versatility and building an all-round western performance horse. She showed in OKFQHR for about 8 years, has competed in the Blazes Annual Trainer Challenge six times, has done the Extreme Mustang Makeover twice, placing 4th overall in 2021 in Oklahoma, 10th overall in 2020 in Kentucky, and placed 6th overall in the 2023 Mustang Magic in For Worth, Tx. She has also competed in AQHA, APHA, NRHA, and many other ranch versatility shows. Christa is also a guest trainer for the Mclain County, Ok 4-H group.
The most important part of a good training program is consistency, results, and having a willing horse who understands what is being asked of them. She wants to see the horse improve daily but without pushing them so much that it is at the expense of their health or willingness.
Christa owes a lot of her success and training to a number of equine professionals along the way. She rode with Barbara Koenig for several years learning to train off track thoroughbreds for dressage and jumping. She started colts with Will Degraw and learned the true meaning of establishing a strong foundation regardless of the discipline. She was an assistant trainer for World Champion and NRHA judge Jody Brainard for a year and a half, who taught her how to execute correct and meticulous maneuvers with ease. She has also attended many clinics by professionals including Jack Brainard, Clinton Anderson, Buck Branaman, Jason Kopischke, Bill Richey, Byron Hogan and several others. She believes it is important for her own education as well as the success of the horses she trains to never stop learning from these great horsemen and women and becoming the best she can be.